Mock Draft: Raiders Trade Back Into First Round for QB

In this mock draft, the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to rely on Geno Smith and their passing game by drafting Tetairoa McMillan. They're also predicted to trade back in the first round for Jaxson Dart.

Nov 30, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) celebrates a touchdown with tight end Tyler Powell (87) against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The NFL draft is less than a week away, and more likely than not, the Las Vegas Raiders will use the sixth overall pick to draft an offensive playmaker. They traded for Geno Smith with the expectation that he'll improve their offense, but have failed to surround him with any meaningful players in free agency.

I doubt Raheem Mostert will be able to recapture some of the magic he had in 2023 with the Miami Dolphins, and all their other meaningful additions in free agency, like Jeremy Chinn, were on the defensive side of the ball.

Luckily for the Raiders, there should be plenty of players for them to target on the offensive side of the ball with their high draft pick. Other than Brock Bowers and a couple of young guards along the offensive line, nobody has secured a spot on the Raiders' offense moving forward with this new regime under John Spytek and Pete Carroll.

Jordan Dajani is a sports writer for CBS Sports, and he recently released a mock draft where he attempts to predict how the first round will go for the NFL draft. For the Raiders, they rely on Smith and their passing attack by drafting Tetairoa McMillan from the University of Arizona.

"The Raiders need a legitimate WR1 if Geno Smith is going to find success in Sin City, and that's what the big-bodied Tet McMillan can be. He recorded 1,319 receiving yards last season, and his 35 career receptions of 20+ air yards ranked most in the FBS from 2022-24. He's not some speedster, but running a 4.2 40-yard dash isn't a prerequisite for being a good wide receiver", said Dajani.

This isn't the first time McMillan has been linked to the Raiders, and outside of Ashton Jeanty, he is the player most linked to the Raiders across many mock drafts. The Raiders' leading receiver was Jakobi Meyers last year, and he cannot be their number one option if they expect Smith to succeed in Las Vegas.

McMillan is the closest thing to the consensus number one wide receiver in this draft class, and for the Raiders' sake, they have to hope he will be. He's a big-bodied pass catcher similar to Drake London, who will work perfectly off of Bowers, and they could start an offensive duo for the next quarterback to come in after Smith.

The next quarterback after Smith could be heading to Las Vegas sooner than expected. As Dajani makes a bold prediction for the Raiders at the end of the first round, trading with the Philadelphia Eagles for the last pick of the first round to draft Jaxson Dart.

"In 2024, Dart led the SEC with 4,279 passing yards, and led the FBS with 10.8 yards per attempt. He can clearly push the ball down the field, but also adds some rushing ability. Dart leaves college having rushed for 1,541 yards and 14 touchdowns over four seasons", said Dajani.

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